what is physis

Physis is a Greek philosophical, theological, and scientific term that is usually translated into English as "nature". The term originated in ancient Greek philosophy and was later used in medicine and theology. The abstract term physis is derived from the verb phyesthai/phynai, which means "to grow," "to develop," "to become". In ancient philosophy, the noun "physis" refers to the growth expressed in the verb phyesthai/phynai and to the origin of development. In pre-Socratic philosophy, physis is always used in the sense of the "natural" development, although the focus might lie either with the origin, or the process, or the end result of the process. The term physis can also refer to the principle of growth or change in nature. In medicine, the suffix -physis occurs in such terms as epiphysis and metaphysis, which are parts of bones.